Mama Natsuki and Shizuru Mama
by Yuri-hime
Summary: Shizuru and Natsuki enjoy the joys of parenthood. Part 8a up
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters of Mai Hime. They belong to Sunrise~

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Natsuki looked intensely at her burgundy-eyed, raven-haired daughter who stared back equally as intense at her mother, from her spot in the bubbly bath tub.

"Shizuki, you are going to take a bath _right now,_" Natsuki said in a low voice that brooked no arguments.

The little 5-year-old in the bath tub pulled a pout that Natsuki _swore_ she had lifted from her other mother's playbook.

"No," little Shizuki replied, as the pout on her face became more pronounced.

Natsuki bit back a low growl as she resisted the urge to tear her hair out. She had survived the Terrible Twos and the Troublesome Threes, and now it looked like she was smack-dab in the middle of the Fearsome Fives.

"Shizuki, you are covered in dirt. We played long and had tons of fun with the ball out in the backyard earlier, but now it's time for you to clean up. You want to spend time with Shizuru-mama and your little sister Hikari right? Well to do that you have to be _clean_," Natsuki tried to cajole, as she leaned forward to try to start scrubbing her oldest child clean.

"NO!" Shizuki cried out, as she began to fuss and splash around to avoid her mother's reaching hands.

"Arg!" Natsuki cried out as she was hit with a face full of sudsy bubbles.

"Is my Natsuki having problems in here?" a low, melodious voice spoke from the entrance to the bathroom.

Natsuki peeked through a small pile of soap suds covering her eyes, at the woman who had so completely captured her heart, and who she had made a very happy life with.

"Nooo," Natsuki grumbled, as she turned to give her trouble-making daughter in the tub a slight glare. All that she got in return was a stuck-out tongue and happy giggles.

"Well, it certainly looks like my Natsuki could use a little help in here," Shizuru continued as she leaned lightly against the door jamb. The chestnut-haired woman was holding their youngest child gently against her side. Little Hikari had a thumb in her mouth, which she was sucking diligently. Her soft-green eyes, and curly chestnut locks made her look like she was still a baby, though she was a happy and active 3-year-old.

"Mama, 'Zuki being bad?" Hikari asked her mother holding her, as she looked up at Shizuru with wide bright eyes.

Shizuru smiled down adoringly at her little girl in her arms, utterly charmed by her.

"Yes, sweetheart. Your sister is giving Mama-Natsuki a bit of a hard time, aren't you darling?" Shizuru asked her daughter in the bath tub.

Shizuki just replied with a wide, toothy grin which caused Shizuru to laugh softly and Natsuki to scowl.

"You're not helping, Shizuru," Natsuki muttered softly as she rose slowly to her feet, and gave her wife a soft tender kiss once she was fully standing.

Both Shizuki and Hikari let out soft _oooos_ which never failed to make Natsuki blush deeply, as she pulled back from kissing Shizuru.

"They pick that stuff up from you, you know Zuru. I can see my daughters already being old masters of the tease by the time they reach 5 and 7 respectively," Natsuki said with a wry grin.

Shizuru just laughed softly again, which to Natsuki always sounded like chimes tinkling softly in the wind.

"Okay then Natsuki dearest, why don't you take Hikari for a little while and I'll take care of cleaning up Shizuki. How does that sound to you?" The answer Shizuru received to her question was a happy cry from her daughter in the bathtub, and an affirmative grunt from Natsuki who held out her arms to take Hikari, who Shizuru gently handed over.

"Come on, Squirt. Let's you and me get some icecream," Natsuki said loudly, as she and her youngest daughter disappeared down the hallway.

"Hey, no fair! I want icecream too!" Shizuki cried out, as she watched her dark-haired mother and little sister disappear from sight.

Shizuru chuckled softly, then knelt down so that she was eye-level with her oldest child.

"Let's get you all washed up and clean as soon as possible then, so that we can join them in eating icecream, okay my darling," Shizuru said with the sweet smile that always made Shizuki feel all warm and loved.

"Otay! Let's do it!" Shizuki cried out as she grabbed her sponge, dunked it into the soapy water, and began industriously trying to scrub herself clean.

Shizuru just laughed softly as she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss atop her daughters dark wet bangs, thinking that her life now was absolutely perfect, and that she wouldn't change a thing about it for all the world.

**

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AN:** It's been a while since I've been back in this fandom~ I was distracted by K-ON, Final Fantasy XIII, and Sailor Moon =p

But Mai Hime will always be my # 1 yuri fandom true love, so I hope you all enjoy this small offering of fic I bring to you~

Please let me know what you guys think of it~ =3


	2. Chapter 2

Review reply for **ShadowCub** - I really wanted to leave you a review reply and to also answer your question about _An Elf and a Wolf_ but you have to turn on/allow others to send you PM messages first ^^

So, I'll just answer your question about _Elf and a Wolf_ here, until you get a chance to turn on PM replies =3

I really would like to complete all of my old Mai Hime fics, _Elf and a Wolf _included. However I'm not sure there is really an interest from readers anymore, and I'm not sure I can get back into the writing frame of mind I was in for those past fics. I also have lost most of the plot ideas I had for those stories, and am not sure I could re-create them ^^

So, that's my answer~ But all of that is neither here nor there for this particular series of fics~!

Thank you all for reading and reviewing my first chapter, and I hope you all enjoy this one! =D

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Icecream time was always a fun time in the Fujino-Kuga household. This time was no exception. With Shizuki all nice, clean, and shiny from her bath, Shizuru led her daughter out to the kitchen table where Natsuki and Hikari were already elbow-deep into their bowls of icecream.

Shizuru gently helped Shizuki climb up into her chair, and her eldest daughter gave her little sister and dark-haired mother a happy wave.

"I'm here! Where's mah icecream?" Shizuki exclaimed, looking all around her as she excitedly waited for her icecream bowl to magically appear.

Natsuki smirked lightly as she licked her spoon coated with creamy, chocolate icecream.

"I've decided that you're not gonna get any, Squirt."

Shizuki's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she quickly turned to look up at Shizuru still standing beside her.

"Mama...is that true...I don't get icecream too?" Shizuki caused her lower lip to tremble, as she looked up at her mother with wide, watery eyes.

Shizuru looked over at Natsuki and gave her an exasperated smile.

"You _really_ shouldn't be so mean to little Shizuki. You know she doesn't mean to give you a hard time when she needs to bathe. She actually takes more after you than me. Very _very_ stubborn when she doesn't want to do something," Shizuru said, as she tenderly stroked her fingers through Shizuki's dark locks. Her eldest daughter purred happily and nuzzled into her mother's gentle touch.

Natsuki snorted lightly and pointed her icecream-dripping spoon imperiously at her wife.

"And you spoil the little squirt too much. She _never_ does anything I tell her to, like brush her teeth before bedtime, and not to throw her clothes all over the floor when she's changing. But she does everything that you ever ask her to do," Natsuki replied as she gave Shizuru a squinty-eyed look.

"Oh, you mean she doesn't do all the things that you yourself never do, darling? Remember I just said that she takes after you the most, and she's just following _your_ example," Shizuru answered back with a small, amused smile.

"I'm not like her!" Shizuki and Natsuki both cried out, as they both folded their arms over their chests in twin poses.

Shizuru burst out laughing as both her wife and eldest daughter stuck their tongues out at each other, before they both grinned at one another and began laughing too.

"I luff Shizu-mama and S'ki-mama!" little Hikari piped up from her place sitting beside Natsuki, as she waved her icecream spoon about in the air, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"You don't love me too, 'Kari?" Shizuki asked as she turned to look at her little sister.

Hikari gave Shizuki a wide, toothy grin as she nodded.

"Mmhm! I love Zuki too!" Now having made her own contribution to whatever conversation was going on around her, Hikari dug back gleefully into her bowl of icecream, and made little sounds of pleasure as she ate.

Shizuru smiled softly at her small but happy family all gathered around the table, and she lightly ruffled Shizuki's hair as she spoke. "I'll go get you a bowl of icecream now, okay sweetie."

Shizuki looked up at Shizuru with adoring eyes and nodded happily.

Natsuki let out a small grunt and lightly rolled her eyes, though a small smile twitched up the corners of her lips. Both her daughters had her firmly wrapped around their little fingers and they both knew it. She may act gruff every now and then, but both of her children knew that she loved them beyond anything else in this world save their mother, who they also knew Natsuki treasured deeply. Natsuki was incredibly happy with the life she'd built here with Shizuru and her two beautiful daughters.

And she wouldn't change a thing about it for all the world.

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**AN:** Fluff! Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave me cookies in the form of reviews to let me know what you guys thought of this lil fic ^^


	3. Chapter 3

Natsuki lightly trailed the tip of her tongue down Shizuru's neck, stopping to nibble and suck along the way, before she continued to make her way down to Shizuru's soft breasts. Natsuki tenderly took one stiffened nipple into her mouth, and gently slipped her fingers around the other and softly squeezed.

Shizuru let out a loud gasp of pleasure, as she undulated softly under the dark-haired woman who was steadily driving her over the edge.

Natsuki flicked her tongue over and around Shizuru's areola, then lightly trailed the hand that had been tenderly attending the other breast down Shizuru's toned stomach to her chestnut-coloured snatch.

Then just as Natsuki prepared to slip her fingers into Shizuru's slick warmth, the door to their bedroom burst open and two giant _thumps_ hit the bed.

Natsuki could only stop and stare in shock, her fingers still poised over her wife's wetness, as her two daughters cried about having nightmares and wanting to stay with their parents for the rest of the night.

Natsuki let out a deep sigh, before turning her head forward to give Shizuru an apologetic smile. Shizuru returned the smile, and lovingly stroked her fingers down the side of Natsuki's face as she softly mouthed the words, "another time."

Natsuki nodded and captured Shizuru's hand in hers, and sweetly placed a kiss against her palm. Then releasing a deep breath, Natsuki slipped off the bed and went over to retrieve her and Shizuru's silk night robes. Once she was wearing her own, and had come back over to the bed and given Shizuru hers to put on, Natsuki turned her attention back to their two little girls.

Shizuki was hiccuping slightly as she rubbed at her teary ruby-red eyes, while little Hikari sucked on her thumb as she sniffled softly.

"Mama..." both Hikari and Shizuki warbled softly, one with a hiccup and one with a sniff.

Shizuru smiled tenderly at her two crying children and held open her arms to them. They wasted no time in crawling quickly over the bedsheets, and dived into their mother's waiting arms.

Natsuki grinned softly over the tops of her children's heads at her wife, while gently stroking her fingers through their hair.

"Well, we knew that this kind of thing would happen when we decided to have these two tykes, didn't we?" Natsuki said with a small wry grin. Shizuru answered that grin with one of her own, as she lightly rubbed her children's backs, causing them to calm down and gently begin drifting off to sleep.

"Indeed we did," Shizuru replied back with that lilting tone that Natsuki adored so much. "You'll just have to make sure to make it up to me tomorrow night," Shizuru continued, as she gave Natsuki a smile that promised all sorts of delicious pleasures for the following night.

Natsuki shivered in pure delight and desire and wondered if she should take a cold shower now, since her kids had unintentionally barged in on their mothers...playtime.

Shizuru giggled softly as she read the thoughts going through Natsuki's mind, and Natsuki grinned back at the woman who had so easily captured her heart.

"I love you, Shizuru. I would have children with you all over again. You make me happier than any other person alive on this earth," Natsuki whispered softly as she leaned over her now-sleeping children's head, and tenderly kissed her wife's warm lips.

Shizuru hummed softly in pleasure, and gently rearranged her children so that they were now cuddled together in the middle of the bed. Natsuki crawled up to the right side of her sleeping children, beside Shizuki. Shizuru made herself comfortable on their left side, her hand lightly rubbing soothing circles across Hikari's back.

Shizuru and Natsuki smiled softly at each other once more, before Natsuki reached over to the bedside lamp and turned it off, dousing the room into darkness.

Natsuki then felt Shizuru reach out through the darkness, and tenderly entwine their fingers together.

"Goodnight sweetheart, I love you," Shizuru's lilting voice spoke softly.

"Goodnight darling, you are my Heart."

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_**~Fin~**_

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**AN:** Hope you all enjoyed. Please leave me cookies to let me know if you did~ =3_**  
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	4. Chapter 4

Shizuru breathed slow pained breaths in and out as she felt a soft, cool cloth press against her fevered forehead.

Natsuki carefully wrung out the cloth she was using to cool her wife's temple, into the small basin sitting on the bedside table. Hikari sat on her dark-haired mother's lap, worriedly sucking her finger as she looked down at her sick mother.

"Mama-Zuru sick?" Hikari asked, as she looked up with glistening eyes at Natsuki.

Natsuki gave her youngest daughter a soft sad smile, and gently stroked her fingers through the light baby curls on Hikari's head.

"Yes, sweetheart. Mama-Zuru is sick. But don't worry, my precious one. We'll help her feel better in no time. Isn't that right, Shizuki?" Natsuki asked her oldest daughter who was holding her mother's pale hand tightly. Shizuki looked up at Natsuki with scarlet eyes that shone with worry, but also determination.

"Right. So dun worry, 'Kari. Mama-Suki and I will make Mama-Zuru feel better," Shizuki answered as she leaned forward on her tiptoes, and planted a soft kiss against Shizuru's cheek.

Shizuru's eyelashes slowly fluttered open then and she turned her crimson eyes towards her worried, watching family. She gave them all a small weak smile, and quietly mouth "hey" to them. She was too drained and exhausted to say or do much more.

Natsuki mouthed back the soft hey, and then reached forward to gently stroke her fingers down the side of Shizuru's face. Shizuru immediately leaned into the touch, and a soft sigh of relief and pleasure escaped her lips at Natsuki cool, tender touch. Shizuru then opened her mouth once more to attempt to reassure her family that she would be better soon, when she let out a loud pained gasp and her burgundy eyes rolled up into her head as she passed out.

"Shizuru? Shizuru? Shizuru!" Natsuki cried out in panic as she gently put Hikari down to stand, while she leaned over Shizuru's comatose form. She gently patted Shizuru's cheeks to try to awaken her love, and almost hissed when her palm came away hot from the temperature of Shizuru's skin. Natsuki quickly reached for the thermometer on the bedside table, and carefully slipped it in between Shizuru's closed lips. When she pulled it back out a minute later and checked the temperature, she almost dropped the thermometer in shock.

Shizuru was literally burning up with a temperature of 105.2 degrees.

Natsuki knew that temperatures that high could lead to brain damage. She had to get Shizuru to the hospital. _Now_.

Natsuki quickly grabbed her cellphone from the table, and rapidly tapped in the short number to reach emergency services. Once she had them on the line and they promised to send an ambulance immediately, Natsuki quickly dialed another number.

"Hello?" the slightly groggy voice of Mai came over the phone.

"Ah hey Mai, sorry to wake you up so late but could you do me a _huge_ favour, and come over and watch the kids for me. I need to get Shizuru to the hospital _right now_ as she's passed out with a high fever," Natsuki said all this, while trying to keep the panic and extreme worry she was feeling out of her voice.

"Oh my god, is she okay? Well, of course she's not. You just said you're taking her to the hospital." Mai now sounded fully awake, and Natsuki could hear the telltale sounds of her best friend moving around as she got ready. Then the sound of someone else grumbling sleepily came over the phone line, and Natsuki could hear Mai explaining the situation to Nao.

Natsuki still marveled to this day how the two of them got together, but she had to admit that they made it work somehow together.

Nao suddenly came over the phone line, and began speaking to Natsuki. "Yo heard your girl was sick. So, you need me and Mai to come over and look after the lil rugrats for ya?"

"Please," Natsuki replied, and then looked down when she felt Hikari take her free hand with her little one. Tears were leaking from her youngest child's eyes, and Natsuki felt her heart breaking as she bent down, scooped Hikari up into her arms, and tried to quietly comfort her.

"Don't cry, 'Riri. Mommy is going to be okay. I promise," Natsuki whispered as she gently rubbed Hikari's back, while trying to keep the phone from falling by pressing it between her cheek and shoulder. Natsuki looked over to the bed where she saw Shizuki still holding tightly onto Shizuru's hand, almost as if she were trying to will the strength to get better from her little body into her mother's.

"Okay Natsuki, Nao and I are on our way. So you just go on and take care of Shizuru, and don't worry about the kids. We'll take care of them until you get back," Mai's voice once again came over the phone line. Natsuki thanked her lucky stars not for the first or likely last time, that she had such amazing friends who were always so willing to help her out whenever she needed it.

"Yeah, so just make sure to get your crazy wife healthy again. It's not nearly as much fun teasing you when Shizuru isn't around to jump in and help," Nao's voice came back over the phone, and Natsuki allowed a small smile to cover her lips.

"I'll be sure to let Shizuru know you said you missed her when she gets better," Natsuki replied as she began moving towards the front door, as the sound of sirens quickly approaching filled the air.

"You do that and I'll make sure to make the rest of your life a living hell, Mutt," Nao responded, the nickname that was once a derogatory term for Natsuki, now one that was filled with light affection.

Natsuki nodded even though she knew Nao couldn't see it, and quickly said goodbye to her friend as she opened the front door for a male and female paramedic to rush in.

Natsuki immediately directed them towards her bedroom, and had to gently pull Shizuki away from holding her mother's hand. Shizuki immediately became almost hysterical, and Natsuki cradled both of her crying children in her arms. She watched with a heavy heart as the paramedics loaded Shizuru up onto a stretcher, and quickly took her out of the house. She then stood by the front door and watched as the paramedics carefully strapped Shizuru down in the back of the ambulance, while carrying a whimpering Hikari in her arms. She held tightly onto Shizuki's hand, as her oldest daughter clutched onto her pant's leg.

Mai and Nao then quickly pulled up in their car, and parked on the grass before the house, not wanting to block the ambulance from leaving the driveway. It was nice that her two best friends lived not too far away, Natsuki thought dazedly to herself as she handed over a now-wailing Hikari to Mai. Nao gently tugged Shizuki from her pant's leg, and with tenderness most didn't know she possessed, gently held the sobbing child in her arms.

Natsuki thanked her two friends before she quickly ran to the back of the ambulance and jumped in. She carefully sat in the small vacant spot next to her sick wife, and gently took her clammy hand into her own.

Shizuru surprised Natsuki then by weakly squeezing Natsuki's hand, and she quickly looked at Shizuru's face to see if her love had woken back up. Shizuru's face however remained still as the sweat being produced from her fever continued to bead, and run down the side of her face. Natsuki tenderly brushed away a few droplets before she brought Shizuru's hand up to her forehead, and gently pressed it there as she closed her eyes. She then finally allowed her own tears of fear and worry to flow freely, as the ambulance raced away towards the hospital.

The sounds of her children crying out for their Mommy as the ambulance pulled away from their home, echoed hauntingly in her ears.

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**AN:** Thanks for reading and reviewing my last chapter. Please let me know what you all think of this one ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's notes** - Lol, so my friend asked me in regard to the last chapter, "Mai and Nao as a pairing? Really?" I laughed and then happily placed all blame for this interesting, quirky pairing at the feet of **lonely jester**, the author of that wonderful story _Sucker Punch_. Mai and Nao's interactions in that fic are just so deliciously wonderful, I just _had_ to make a pairing out of them in homage to that fic, even though it's never once implied in that story that Mai and Nao are anything more than really good friends ^^

Another small note, in this storyline science has reached the point where two females can contribute to the creation of new life, in the form of babies that share both female parent's genes ^^

I hope that you all enjoy this new chapter =3

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"I'm glad you're feeling better now, Shizuru. You really had all of us worried," Mai said as she sat on the edge of Shizuru's bed, gently holding the brunette's hand in hers.

Shizuru smiled softly at Mai and then purred lightly in pleasure, as Natsuki fluffed the small mountain of pillows she had pressed behind her back. She had been released from the hospital the day before, and she was now back in her home surrounded by her family and friends.

Shizuki and Hikari were both sitting in the middle of the large bed, a small tray of cookies keeping their undivided attention as the adults around them talked.

"Yeah, you shoulda seen the mutt here. Never seen Natsuki look so scared in my whole life...well except for that one time I threatened to ignite her bike with gasoline and matches," Nao said as she thoughtfully tapped a finger to her chin.

Natsuki scowled at Nao as she crawled onto the other side of the bed, and lay against the pillows next to her wife, gently taking Shizuru's other hand into her own. Natsuki then began to softly rub slow circles across the back of Shizuru's hand. Shizuru sighed in pleasure, and leaned over so that her head rested against Natsuki's shoulder.

"I should have skinned you alive that time for even making such a bad joke," Natsuki huffed at Nao, who only smirked back at the dark-haired woman. Nao opened her mouth to make a snarky reply back, when the bedroom door flew open and three more people walked in.

"Woman! How did you manage to make yourself so sick you ended up in the hospital! That is just the most irrepressible thing you've ever done!" the loud booming voice of a blond woman exclaimed.

"Irresponsible, Haruka. I think that's what you mean...though I don't agree with you there, darling. Anyone can get sick. Even Shizuru...and hello Shizuru, I hope that you're feeling better today," Yukino Suzushiro softly spoke, as she came in and stood beside her wife.

Haruka huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, and narrowed her amethyst-coloured eyes at Shizuru. Then she quickly uncrossed her arms, and pointed an imperious finger at Shizuru.

"You _will_ make a swift recovery. Our company needs its top CEO in _perfect_ health. As Vice-President of Fujino-Suzushiro Inc do you think I have time to be taking care of _your_ responsibilities as well as mine? So get better soon, woman," Haruka said this last part softer than the first, as she tried to keep the worry she had felt about Shizuru's sudden sickness out of her voice. A soft giggle was then heard from near Haruka's legs, and the blond couldn't help the soft expression that came over her face, as she looked down at the source of the giggles.

"You can go say hi to Aunty Shizuru now, Haruko."

A small towheaded blond, with sparkling-green eyes and an impish face peeked out from behind Haruka's legs. The small 4-year-old giggled again, and made a beeline toward Shizuru and the large bed. Once the child was beside the bed, she began making her best effort to climb up onto it, but to no avail. Finally after her third attempt to get her little legs up onto the bed, she suddenly found herself being hoisted up by strong yet gentle hands. The child looked up with a bright smile and exclaimed happily, "Tank you, Nao-Nao."

"Don't mention it, kid," Nao grumbled lightly, as she deposited the small child onto the bed beside Shizuki and Hikari. Both Shizuki and Hikari's faces lit up with happiness and excitement, and they both tackled their fellow playmate and friend.

"'Ruko! You're here! You come to say hi to our Mommy?" Shizuki asked as she lay in a small, tangled heap with her sister and their small guest.

"Mmhm!" Haruko answered, as she rolled over onto her side and waved at Shizuru.

"Hi! Mommy say you was sick. And that you was...uhh...you was...hmm," Haruko scrunched up her little face, as she tried to remember what her mommy had said about her Aunty Shizuru.

"Oh! She say she worry 'bout you, bit not to tell you," Haruko sat up and nodded proudly at herself for remembering what her Mommy had said.

Haruka groaned loudly and hid her face in her hand as Yukino giggled softly beside her, before lightly intertwining her fingers with her embarrassed wife's.

"Straight outta the mouth of babes," Nao said with a small smirk while Mai, Natsuki and Shizuru laughed softly. Shizuru then softly said hi back to Haruko, and then the adults all began to chat amiably with each other, leaving the children to entertain themselves.

Haruko turned a toothy grin towards Hikari and held up her small hand.

"Hey, 'Kari I learned a new trick at school! Wanna know what it is?" Haruko asked excitedly as she bounced lightly in the middle of the bed, causing the small tray of cookies to bounce with her.

Hikari nodded with wide interested eyes, as she sucked lightly on her thumb.

"Otay! It's called a..." and here Haruko looked around herself as if to check if anyone else was listening in. "It's called a high-five! Wanna try it?" Haruko exclaimed excitedly as she bounced hard on the bed again, this time causing a couple of the cookies to fly off the try.

"Okay girls, careful now. You don't want to make a mess on Shizuru's nice sheets, now do you," Mai said softly as she reached forward, and carefully picked up the stray cookies and deposited them back onto the tray.

"Sowwy," Haruko said softly, before she turned back excitedly to Hikari.

"Ready?" Haruko asked, as she continued to hold her hand up high.

Hikari nodded and mimicked her friend by raising her hand high into the air.

Haruko quickly slapped their palms together and happily exclaimed, "High-five!"

Hikari looked curiously down at her palm, and then let out a pleased giggle.

"Hey! I wanna high-five too!" Shizuki cried out, as she crawled over to sit beside Haruko.

Haruko cheerily nodded and once again held up her hand.

"High-five!" both she and Shizuki cried out, as they slapped their hands together. All three children then dissolved into giggles, and rolled around on the bed holding their tummies in glee.

"Alright, you lil munchkins. It's time for Mommy to get some much-needed rest. And it's time for you both to take a bath and get to bed," Natsuki said as she rose to her feet, and reached over to gently pluck first Hikari and then Shizuki from the middle of the bed.

Yukino came over and gently picked up Haruko who immediately entwined her small arms around her mother's neck, and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek before snuggling down into her embrace.

Mai, now standing beside Nao, watched as her friends lovingly picked up their children. She then turned to face Nao, and gave her an almost pleading look. Nao stared back in mild confusion as she muttered a soft, "what?"

Mai looked over at the children, looked back at Nao, looked back at the kids once more, and then she looked imploringly at Nao as she gently began to rub her stomach.

Nao's eyes widened to the size of small flying-saucers, and her face turned an interesting shade of bright red, as she eloquently sputtered out the first word that came to her mind.

"Huh..."

Natsuki burst out laughing as she'd been watching this silent exchange between her two friends, and she walked over to them now with Hikari snug in her arms, and a huge smirk on her face.

"You're next, buddy. It's time to put a lil bun in Mai's oven," Natsuki said with a wide, shit-eating grin as she nudged Nao in the ribs.

Nao gulped slightly, and gave Mai a smile that had a small nervous tick to it. Everyone else burst into good-natured laughter at Nao's reaction. Haruka then called over her shoulder as she and her small family exited the room, that it was about time that Nao joined her and Natsuki on the _we're whipped_ train.

Nao whimpered lightly as Mai took her hand, and almost skipping happily, pulled her girlfriend along behind her as they also exited the room.

The last Natsuki saw of Nao were wide green eyes, and a mouth moving silently crying," help me, I'm not ready to be a Mommy!'

Natsuki just gave Nao a sickeningly-sweet smile and waved 'toodles' with her free hand. The door was closed on Nao's indignant face, and Natsuki and Shizuru shared a small quiet laugh at their friend's antics.

"Looks like you and Shizuki are going to have a new playmate sometime in the near future, Hikari," Natsuki said softly as she gently tickled her daughter's tummy. Hikari giggled as she squirmed about in Natsuki's arms. The cobalt-haired woman then walked back over to the side of the bed, and sat down before Shizuru.

Shizuki, standing beside the bed, held her arms up in the universal-child-sign for 'I want pick-up.'

Natsuki immediately complied and now had one child sitting on one knee, and one child on the other.

Shizuru smiled tenderly at her small family as she reached out, and gently stroked her fingers through both of her daughter's soft hair.

"I'm so very glad we had our precious darlings vaccinated against flus, and all other childhood infections and diseases. Even so, I normally would _never_ have permitted them to have been in the room with me, when I was feeling my worst but I...I just _really_ wanted them close by during that time. I don't know...I guess...I could just almost _feel_ that I should have had them near in case...it was the last time I ever got to look into their beautiful eyes again," Shizuru said, as she tried to keep down a small lump from forming in her throat.

"Hey, now...no talking like that, love. You're okay now. Still fairly weak, but recovering quickly and you'll be back on your feet again in no time," Natsuki said, as she reached forward to tenderly stroke her fingers down the side of Shizuru's face.

Shizuru leaned into the touch with a soft sigh, then blinked in surprise as a soft yawn escaped her.

"Come on girls, it's time to give Mama-Zuru a kiss goodnight," Natsuki said softly as she raised first Shizuki and then Hikari up, and both girls leaned forward to give their mother a sweet kiss on her cheek.

"Love you, Mommy," Shizuki said as Natsuki stood up, holding Shizuki against one hip and Hikari against the other. Hikari waved at her mother as Natsuki managed to open the bedroom door with both girls in her arms, and began making her way out into the hallway beyond.

"Luff you, Mama," Hikari whispered softly, as Natsuki disappeared down the hallway with both girls.

Shizuru smiled softly and tenderly at the open bedroom door, as she thought about what a wonderful family she'd been blessed with. Her eyelids then began to flutter softly, heavy with the need to sleep. Sometime later, Shizuru wasn't sure how much time had actually passed, she tiredly reopened her eyes as she felt the bed softly dip down beside her as Natsuki crawled in. The light in their bedroom was off. And the only illumination was from the faint silvery light of the moon, as its rays shone through the velvety curtains that covered the single window in their room.

Shizuru then felt Natsuki tenderly pull her against her chest, and lovingly wrap her arms around her.

"I love you, Shizuru. As do our two precious, beautiful little girls. Never leave our side, okay baby. I'll watch over and protect you the best I can for the rest of our lives...and for all other lives we are destined to share together," Natsuki whispered softly into Shizuru's ear.

Shizuru nodded softly, as two small tears slid from the corners of her eyes.

"Forever and Always, my Natsuki."

Natsuki pressed a soft tender kiss against the side of Shizuru's temple, and cuddled her wife closer into her arms as she breathed out in soft contentment, and allowed her body to ease down into sleep.

"Forever and always, my Shizuru."

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**AN:** Thank you all for your wonderful response to my last chapter! I really hope that you all enjoyed this latest chapter, and please let me know what you all thought of it ^^

And also after an incredibly long time, I've finally updated my profile lol. There is a poll up that I would greatly appreciate your opinions on. Thank you =3


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note** - So this whole story was never really supposed to be more than a series of loosely-linked ficlets, showing the daily lives of Shizuru, Natsuki, and their two small children. Lol, however going by the results of the poll I asked you guys to vote on, most of you want this particular story to continue. In order to do that this story needs actual plot! So congrats dear wonderful readers, you have directly influenced these ficlets gaining an actual overarching plot~

Hope you all enjoy where I now take this story ;3

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Shizuru lightly brushed her fingers down the front of Natsuki's form fitting white, sleeveless top. She let her hand stray down passed Natsuki's toned abs, causing her wife to suck in a quick breath as her hand continued all the way down to Natsuki's black, leather-clad behind.

Natsuki quickly grabbed Shizuru's wandering hand and gave her wife a small crooked grin, tinged with light desire.

"Baby, I am _trying_ to leave to go to work here. What you're doing isn't speeding up the process...quite the opposite really," Natsuki said as she brought Shizuru's hand up to her lips, and gently kissed the back of it.

Shizuru just gave her a completely unrepentant grin, then leaned forward to give Natsuki a light kiss on the tip of her nose.

"But you love it, my Tiger," Shizuru responded, as she raised her free hand and dangled Natsuki's bike keys from her fingers.

Natsuki let a roguish grin cover her lips, before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Shizuru's, in a kiss that briefly took the honey-haired woman's breath away.

"That thought...that one that you're having _right_ now that I can see in your eyes, just hold it for me until later when I can actually do something about it," Natsuki said pointing at Shizuru's slightly-glazed, ruby-red eyes as she backed up slowly towards the front door.

"Mama, Mama! Dun leave wifout saying 'bye!" Shizuki cried out, as she came barreling in from the living room, and straight into Natsuki's legs. Hikari came running behind her older sister as fast as her little legs would carry her, and once beside her tall mother also clutched onto her legs.

Natsuki laughed softly, and stooped down so that she was eye level with her little munchkins.

"I could never leave without saying bye to you two. Now give Mommy love," Natsuki said with a grin, as she held her arms open wide for her daughters.

Shizuki and Hikari both immediately jumped into Natsuki's arms, and the three of them spent a couple of minutes laughing, giggling, and hugging one another.

Shizuru leaned lightly against the wall, and just watched her wife and children with a small indulgent smile on her face.

Natsuki then straightened back up to her slender height, and lightly crooked her finger at Shizuru in a _come here_ motion.

Shizuru complied with a soft grin, and enjoyed the quick tender kiss Natsuki bestowed upon her lips once she was standing before her.

"You have a good day over at Haruka and Yukino's place with the kids today, baby. I know both you and Haruka have to go over the work you missed out on handling while you were sick, but promise me that you'll take it easy today. The doctor said that once you fall so seriously ill, your body becomes more susceptible to becoming sick again," Natsuki said in a soft voice, as she tenderly stroked her finger down the side of Shizuru's face.

Shizuru leaned into the touch as her eyes closed in pleasure, and she hummed low in the back of her throat in soft agreement.

"I promise that I'll take it easy today, honey. I never want to cause you and our children that kind of worry again," Shizuru replied as she lightly kissed Natsuki's trailing finger, as it slipped close to her lips.

Natsuki let a smile that reached all the way up to her jade-coloured eyes cross her lips, and she gave Shizuru a small nod. Then gripping her keys tightly in her hand Natsuki turned towards the front door and walked towards it, completely ignoring the two small, giggling bodies still attached to her legs.

Shizuru burst out laughing at the sight, and quickly moved forward to gently lift her children off of Natsuki's legs. Natsuki grinned and then waved at her family, before she opened the front door and stepped out into the bright morning sunlight.

Shizuru and the kids waved back until the front door closed before them, then Shizuru picked Hikari up and placed her against her hip, and held out her hand for Shizuki to take. Then she led the way towards the bathroom to bath her children and then dress them, so that they too could all leave the house and fully start their day.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Natsuki cut off the engine to her sleek, black and midnight-blue Ducati as she pulled up before the large warehouse-like building that housed her personal business.

_**Kuga's Custom-Built Bikes**_

Natsuki rested her booted foot on the ground as she took off her midnight-black helmet, and just straddled her bike for a few seconds as she stared proudly at the name etched into the top of the building.

It had taken a lot of time and effort but she finally had the dream job she'd always wanted. She and her crew custom-built the best bikes in the whole Kanto and Kansai regions which included Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. No one could tell her that her business wasn't the best around, and the long waiting list of customers all wanting her to 'pimp their rides' attested to that fact.

Natsuki finally slipped off of her bike, and left the helmet hanging by it's strap from the bike's handlebars, as she entered through the side door of the building. Natsuki was incredibly grateful to Shizuru for 'allowing' her to continue riding her bike all over town, even though they now had a family to think and worry about. Shizuru knew that Natsuki was an excellent rider. Natsuki always had been and that hadn't changed as she's gotten older. In fact because she now had a family, Natsuki took extra care when she was riding around.

She did actually have a car of her own though. One that Shizuru had almost had to force her to buy when Shizuki was three, and Hikari was still a newborn. But Shizuru understood that Natsuki's free spirit _needed_ her bike, and as much as Shizuru valued Natsuki's safety above all else, she also couldn't take away Natsuki's free spirit. So she let her wife enjoy all the freedom she wanted on her bike whenever she wanted, _except_ when she needed to be a responsible Mommy and take the kids somewhere with her. Then she _had_ to park the bike and pull out the four wheel ride.

She didn't mind driving the car really, Natsuki absentmindedly thought to herself. She lightly tossed her keys up and down in the air with her hand, as she walked down the short corridor leading to the airy interior of her bike shop. She did actually enjoy the times she rode around in the car with her family, and she could ride to her heart's content on her bike any other time, so life was good as far as she was concerned. Natsuki finally reached the door at the end of the hallway, opened it, and stepped out into the brightly-lit bike shop.

She had to stop for a moment and close her eyes and just breath in the scent of motor oil, chrome, leather, and all the other heavenly scents that made up her shop. She opened her emerald-green eyes and grinned around at her shop.

"Yo, Boss! Ready to get your hands greasy and grimy, working on these beautiful hunks of metal and steel," a spiky-haired haired young man with red-highlights streaked throughout his hair called out, as he sat straddled on a bike he had been working on when Natsuki walked in.

Natsuki grinned at the young man, and walked forward quickly and held up her hand to give him a swift high-five.

"Yo, Z-man! I see you're already busy at work. Good job. But where is that lazy brother of yours?" Natsuki asked with a light grin, as she looked around the shop for Zen's missing brother.

Zen, or 'Z-man' as Natsuki jokingly liked to call him, waved the wrench he had in his hand in the general direction behind him, at the couch they had pressed up against the far wall. Natsuki looked up and had to bite back a laugh, as she saw Zen's equally spiky-haired brother with dark-blue highlights in his hair, sprawled out on the couch. He had a damp cloth covering his forehead, and a small bottle of what Natsuki presumed were headache pills in his hand.

"Lemme guess, he had a looong night out last night," Natsuki said with a light smirk, as she began heading towards her sprawled out employee.

"You got it, boss," Zen replied, as he hung his long arms over the handle bars of the bike, and watched in amusement as Natsuki clapped _loudly_ over his brother's head. Ren almost toppled right off of the couch at the loud _clap_ that Natsuki made, and he sat up with a loud moan while clutching his aching head. He turned one bloodshot, piercing-blue eyeball at Natsuki and stared balefully at her.

"I should _really_ hate you right now, Boss. Really. But I like and respect ya too much to do that. Also it would take _way_ too much energy, and I'm trying _really_ hard to make the room stop spinning," Ren groaned as he attempted to ease back down into a lying position on the couch. However he never made it all the way back down before ice-cold water was splashed into his face. Ren sputtered and jumped quickly to his feet, as he glared as best he could with a splitting headache at his 'attacker'.

"Really, Nao. Really? Gimme a break already. I'm slowly dying here. Can't you have a bit more sympathy for a dying man?" Ren begged piteously, as he looked at the redhead standing before him, a highly-amused grin on her face and a now-empty glass in her hand.

"Nope!" Nao answered cheerfully, as she placed the empty glass onto the work counter beside her. "Now git your half-drunk, lazy butt moving and go help your brother modify that bike. The customer will be here in a few hours to pick it up, and you know it needs to be ready and perfect when he gets here," Nao lightly commanded as she stood giving Ren her most imperious look, with her hand resting against her cocked hip.

Ren groaned again, while Zen just laughed at his brother's misery from the other side of the room.

"Slave driver...total and complete slave driver," Ren muttered to himself, as he dragged his body over to his still-snickering brother.

Natsuki chuckled softly at the torment Nao had just inflicted upon her poor employee. She had been a bit hesitant when Nao had come to her, and asked her for the assistant manager's job she was hiring for a couple years back, but Nao had proven to be an incredible asset to Natsuki's then-still-young company. Her organizational skills were surprisingly top-notch, and she certainly knew how to whip 'the boys' into shape when needed, as she'd just demonstrated.

"So where are Takeru and Hiroki? Both are pretty late today," Natsuki asked, as both she and Nao walked to and entered her small office set up in the back of the shop.

"Takeru called to say that his little boy is sick with a bad case of the flu, and he had to take him to the doctor's office," Nao answered as she sat on the edge of Natsuki's work desk, while Natsuki sat in the nice plush leather chair that had been a 'office-warming' gift from Shizuru, when Natsuki had first opened her bike shop.

Natsuki frowned slightly as she leaned back in the chair, and rested her hands behind her head.

"A lot of people seem to be coming down with this bad flu lately. I hope it runs it's course soon," Natsuki said as she dropped her hands, leaned forward, and picked up some bike order forms and began scanning them to see what they had to do for the rest of the week.

"And Hiroki is on his way. His bike got a flat tire out on the highway, and he's waiting for his road service to bring him a new tire. He's pretty insistent on fixing the bike himself right there on the shoulder of the highway. Says he can't call himself a custom bike-builder if he can't even fix his own damn bike tire," Nao said with an amused grin.

Natsuki let out a soft chuckle, as she thought about how lucky she was to have formed such a great bike-building team.

_And speaking of team members,_ Natsuki thought to herself, as she turned her emerald-coloured eyes up towards Nao.

"So when is our possible new hire coming in? You said that this person called and said that she qualified, and met all the necessary requirements we needed for a new bike-builder?" Natsuki asked, as she began to shuffle all the papers before her back into a neat pile.

Nao opened her mouth to say that their interviewee should be arriving any minute now when the door to the office opened, and a female form stepped in and leaned her slender, curvaceous body against the open door frame.

"Hello there, lover-girl. Do you remember me, Na...tsu...ki?"

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**AN:** Please let me know what you all thought of this chapter ^^


	7. Chapter 7

"We've got a _major_ problem, Shizuru," Haruka said in a serious voice, as she leaned back for Yukino to place two cups filled with piping-hot liquid down on the table before her.

Shizuru delicately picked up her cup and sniffed the wonderful aroma of chamomile tea, and looked up to give Yukino a soft smile.

"This smells wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to make this for us," Shizuru said as she took a dainty sip of the hot tea, and sighed in blissful pleasure at its flavour.

Yukino blushed a light, pretty pink and held the small metal tray she had brought the tea cups on against her chest.

"I-It was no problem, Shizuru. I know how much you enjoy your tea, and I just wanted to make sure you and Haruka had some to enjoy while you discuss business," Yukino answered back shyly. No matter how old she got, Yukino would always find herself embarrassed at compliments paid to her.

Haruka smiled up at her wife, reached out, and gently stroked her hand along Yukino's hip in thanks for the refreshment. Even though Haruka herself used to hate tea with a passion, even at one point in their younger days calling Shizuru a 'Bubuzuke' woman, she had over the years developed a fondness for the many-flavoured drink. She blamed this on Shizuru of course, as the damn woman would drink it at every business meeting they ever had, formal or informal, and she had finally given in to drinking it after years of exposure.

It didn't hurt that Yukino made the best damn tea around, in Haruka's opinion.

Yukino smiled back at Haruka, then bent down slightly to give her wife a soft kiss on the lips before straightening back up, and excusing herself to go check on the children.

Haruka watched Yukino with a soft adoring smile, as she walked out to the large backyard where Shizuki, Hikari, and Haruko were all playing happily together. She and Shizuru were seated at a patio table out on the back porch, as they enjoyed the warmth of the midday sun shining down on them.

Haruka cleared her throat lightly, and turned back to Shizuru with the serious expression back on her face.

"We're being bought out," Haruka said without preamble.

Shizuru raised one delicate, chestnut-coloured eyebrow as she put down her cup of tea, and reached for the folder of business papers Haruka was passing over the table to her. She spent a few minutes looking through them, before she closed the folder and gave Haruka a steady look.

"Who's buying us out? The information you've provided doesn't mention that. Just that this new corporation has been snapping up all our entertainment ventures all over Japan. They've already bought out a number of our major record labels and music stores. Plus the modeling agencies we own. Now they're going after the acting studios and dance theaters we also own. I understand that many see us as having a sort of monopoly on the entertainment industry, but we are _very_ fair owners. Any and all profits that are made and gained by us, trickles down to each and every employee below us. We take care of everyone we employ. From what I just read this new corporation has been firing people after every takeover. People who have worked for us for _years_. How could all of this have happened in the two weeks I was sick and recuperating," Shizuru asked as her brow furrowed in mild upset. She simply couldn't believe that so much had happened while she was recovering from her illness. Now that she was feeling better she had to do _everything_ within her power to stop these takeovers.

Haruka sighed softly and leaned back in her chair with a frown.

"Well, to answer your first question, the corporation that is attempting to buy us out and possibly put us out of business, is owned by Tomoe Marguerite of the Kyoto-based Marguerite Family. Apparently this Tomoe feels that she and her company would do a _much_ better job handling Japan's entertainment industry than we do, and she has the financial means to possibly buy out all our stocks and share holders. Which is exactly what she's doing, and which answers your question of how all of this happened," Haruka answered as her frown grew.

Shizuru raised her hand and lightly rubbed at her temple, as she felt a light throbbing begin behind her eyes. She was now thinking about all those who had been employed under her, who were now fired and had to scramble, to find a new way to provide for their loved ones and families. She was blaming herself for allowing herself to get sick. Maybe if she had been around at the office, she could have somehow stopped all of this from happening.

"Quit blaming yourself, as I know that's _exactly_ what you're doing now. I've known you too many years, and I know when you're trying to take the weight of the whole world onto your shoulders. There really wasn't much that you could have done to stop any of this from happening, short of walking into one of the takeover/firing sessions and brandishing your Naginata at Tomoe. Wouldn't really have done much good, but it sure would have been worth it to see the look on that ruthless woman's face," Haruka said with a smirk and gleam in her eye.

Shizuru allowed a small smile to curve her lips at the mental image, before a particularly painful throb in her head caused her to squint her eyes closed in pain.

"Hey are you feeling alright there, Shizuru? You're looking a bit pale," Haruka said as she reached over the table, and laid a warm hand against Shizuru's arm.

Shizuru opened her eyes and gave Haruka a faint nod, before she straightened herself back up in her chair.

"Yes, I'm okay Haruka. It's just a mild headache. Nothing to worry about. I get them every now and then now when I'm feeling a bit stressed. And I admit this news that you've given me today...is a bit stressful," Shizuru said, as she gave Haruka a soft smile.

The frown that seemed to be becoming an almost permanent fixture on Haruka's face, deepened further and she quickly called out to Yukino to bring the kids over. Yukino immediately did so and soon Shizuru found herself surrounded by three happily, bouncing children. She smiled down at them and leaned over to pick Hikari up and place her on her lap, while gently ruffling her fingers through Shizuki's hair. Haruko immediately ran over to her blond-haired mother's lap, and quickly climbed up onto it. Once there she happily snuggled down against Haruka.

Haruka tried to maintain a slight scowl on her face, but it broke immediately and she wrapped her arms tightly around her little bundle of joy and energy. Haruko had her lavender-eyed mother wrapped tightly and firmly around all her little fingers, as she had from day one, and Haruka wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm calling Natsuki to come escort you home," Haruka said as she reached for her cellphone resting in the middle of the table before them, as she let Haruko play with the fingers of her free hand.

Shizuru blinked once...twice...and her mouth fell open in slightly-shocked surprise.

"Haruka, _no_. There's absolutely no need to do that. I told you I'm fine. It's just a mild headache. It will go away once I take some medication for it," Shizuru said as she gave Haruka a beseeching look. She _really_ didn't want to cause Natsuki any further worry than she already had in the past couple of weeks.

"Sorry, too late. Her number is already ringing," Haruka responded as she held her phone against her ear. She waited a second or two more before Natsuki's velvety-rich voice came over the phone line.

"Hello? Haruka? Is Shizuru okay? I had asked you to call me if Shizuru seemed unwell while at your place today, so I guess she is?" Natsuki's voice was tight with worry, and Haruka thought she heard Nao in the background asking if Shizuru was alright. She also heard an unfamiliar feminine voice, one that seemed to ooze with sensuality that Haruka could even hear over the phone line. The stranger was asking if Natsuki had something important to do, and if so she could come back later for an interview.

Haruka stopped paying attention to what was going on in the background as she heard Nao start to answer the person, and she focused back on Natsuki who she could tell from the strained silence was anxiously waiting for her reply.

"Yeah, I think I may have hit her with too much info at once about what's going on in our company. She's looking a bit shaky and has a headache. After her recent hospitalization, I'd feel better if you came by and followed her and the kids home on your bike," Haruka said as she looked straight at Shizuru, and held the crimson-eyed woman's unhappy stare.

Natsuki must have quickly agreed, because Haruka hung up the phone after giving a brief nod and saying a short, "okay." Shizuru immediately began speaking as soon as Haruka hit the end call button on her phone.

"Haruka, as much as I appreciate the fact that you and Natsuki are worried about me, you _really_ shouldn't have called her to come all the way out here just to follow me home. Natsuki has a very important business of her own to run, and I can't be the one to take her away from that," Shizuru said in a slightly stern tone, as she gently rocked a sleepy Hikari in her arms.

"Well, you _are_ Natsuki's business, Shizuru. Her most important one. Much more important than even her biker business. Just like Yukino and Haruko are _my_ most important business, far and above even Fujino-Suzushiro Inc," Haruka replied back as she slipped her arm around Yukino's waist, and gently tugged her wife closer to her.

"And now that you've made me say all of this thoroughly embarrassing stuff, you have to pay me back by getting _lots_ of rest this weekend. Work starts bright and early Monday morning as usual, and you need to be in top shape for the full day we're going to have. We have a meeting after noon to meet this Tomoe Marguerite in person, and I'm _sure_ you're going to want to have all your wits about you when that happens," Haruka said with a lightly-raised, golden eyebrow.

Shizuru let in, then let out a deep sigh. She knew when she was beaten. So she gave Haruka a slight smile as she replied, "okay Haruka, you win. I'll do my absolute best to rest up this weekend, and then you and I are going to put a **stop** to this company takeover by Tomoe Marguerite."

Haruka let a wide grin spread across her face as she gave Shizuru a firm nod.

"We're gonna take the bitch down!"

"Haruka! The children's ears!"

"Oh sorry, Yukino."

Shizuru laughed softly as she watched Yukino lightly berate her wife, and she gently stroked her fingers through a now-sleeping Hikari's baby curls. Shizuki was also fast asleep in the chair next to Shizuru, which she had climbed up into during the adults conversation. Her head was resting on her small arms which were laying on the table, and she had Shizuru's free hand held lightly in her smaller one. Shizuru smiled down tenderly at her precious children. She then quickly snapped her head up as the rumbling sound of a bike's engine cut through the air, and Shizuru had to smile to herself. Natsuki's bike shop was at least 20 minutes away from the high-class area that Haruka and Yukino's large home was located, but Natsuki had made it all the way here in 10 minutes.

Shizuru was going to have to scold her wife later for possibly endangering herself by rushing over here.

Right after she kissed her senseless for loving her so much to hurry over so quickly.

"Shizuru!" Natsuki exclaimed as she burst in through the open back porch doors, and rushed to her wife's side. Natsuki spent a few worried seconds looking Shizuru over from head to toe. What Natsuki saw made her frown slightly, as her wife had a faintly tired look in and around her eyes, and Natsuki could see the mild pain she was trying to hide behind her eyes. Shizuru could never hide anything from Natsuki now. She'd spent too many years, and what sometimes seemed like a whole lifetime with the chestnut-haired woman, and there really wasn't anything about Shizuru that Natsuki couldn't pick up on in seconds.

"Thanks for calling me, Haruka. If I left Shizuru to her own devises sometimes, I don't know how she'd be able to take care of herself," Natsuki said with a light grin towards the blond, as she gently picked Shizuki up and cradled her in her arms. Shizuki mumbled softly in her sleep, and cuddled down further into her mother's embrace.

"Hey!" Shizuru softly exclaimed in playful indignation. "I'll have you know Mrs. Natsuki Kuga-Fujino that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself...though I do love how well you do take care of me," Shizuru answered as she gave Natsuki a tender smile, which the raven-haired woman returned softly.

"Come on, let's get you and the sleeping munchkins home," Natsuki said, as she and Shizuru began heading back towards the inside of the house, and to the car and bike parked out front. They both paused briefly at the porch door to say goodbye and thank you to Haruka and Yukino. Natsuki and Shizuru then made their way through the large, stylish, and expansive home and out through the front door to their respective vehicles.

Natsuki told Shizuru as she tucked their sleeping children into the backseat of the car and put on their seat belts, that she unfortunately had to get back to the bike shop in about an hour. She had an interviewee who had agreed to come back in that time, for Natsuki to conduct her interview. Shizuru immediately felt bad that she had taken Natsuki away from her important interview. Natsuki quickly calmed her worries by tenderly cupping Shizuru's face in her hands and giving her a soft, sweet kiss that took her breath and worried thoughts away.

They made it home safely after that, and after Natsuki helped tuck Shizuki and Hikari into their beds so that they could continue their afternoon nap, she then helped tuck Shizuru into bed despite the brunette's protests.

Natsuki placed a clear glass of water on their bedside table, along with a small bottle of headache pills. She then sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her fingers down the side of Shizuru's face. Shizuru purred like a contented kitten and leaned into Natsuki's touch. Natsuki then asked with an impish grin if Shizuru wanted her to read her bedtime story, which Shizuru playfully slapped at Natsuki's arm in response. Natsuki laughed softly and leaned down to place a tender kiss on the tip of Shizuru's nose, before going a bit lower and lovingly capturing her wife's lips with her own. Shizuru sighed into the contact and lightly licked at Natsuki's lips, as her wife reluctantly pulled away.

"I'll be home early today, okay baby. You just take it easy for the rest of the day. I've asked Mai to stop by a little later in the day to check up on you all, and make sure that everything and everyone is okay."

"Natsuki really shouldn't devote so much time and effort to worrying about me. I promise that I'll be fine. I've just had an unusually bad couple of weeks. Natsuki knows I'm usually very healthy," Shizuru said as she took Natsuki's hand, and softly kissed the back of it.

Natsuki felt a light pleasant shiver run through her at Shizuru's touch.

"I know baby, which is why I'm more worried than usual about you. You usually bounce back fairly quickly from any sickness, and very rarely actually get sick at all. Just rest up today and I'll give you a call later to see how you and the kids are doing, and you can tell me what you want me to bring home for dinner then. No cooking for you today. The kitchen is strictly off limits," Natsuki said as she crossed her arms over her chest, and gave Shizuru a decisive nod.

"My Natsuki is so cute and adorable when she's being the over-protective wife," Shizuru said with a teasing grin, as she stared adoringly up at her wife's now-brightly blushing face.

"I-I'll talk with you later! Stay in bed, rest up, and I'll be back in a few hours," a highly-flustered Natsuki replied as she quickly rose to her feet, and began making her way toward their bedroom door. They'd been together for years and years now, and Shizuru could _still_ make her blush like a schoolgirl!

"I love you, Natsuki," Shizuru called out cheerfully as she snuggled down into their bed's comfy, plush sheets.

Natsuki looked back over at Shizuru from the bedroom door, and gave her snuggling wife a soft smile.

"Love you too, Shizuru. Be with you again soon."

Natsuki then flipped the light switch by the door and the room dimmed to a light twilight as the silky, velvet curtains hanging over the window blocked out most of the sunlight streaming through.

Natsuki gently pulled the door closed behind her leaving Shizuru to drift off to sleep. Shizuru sighed softly as she fell into a deep sleep, her headache from earlier finally gone, and her dreams filled with the amazing woman who had so effortlessly captured her heart.

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**AN:** Longest chapter yet for this story~ Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and thank you all very much for reading and reviewing my last chapter. Please let me know what you all thought of this one ^^


	8. A Mother's Day Interlude

**~A Mother's Day Interlude~**

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"Now, remember what we practiced, Hikari. You hold dis rose Aunt Mai gave us for our Mommys, and I hold dis one," Shizuki said with as much authority as her 5-year-old self could.

Hikari nodded and clutched the beautiful, sweet-smelling rose she had against her small chest. The full length of the rose from flower to stem was almost as long as Hikari herself, but she made sure to hold it as carefully as she could.

"Okay, ready? Afta twee...1...2...3!"

Shizuki and Hikari burst in through their parents bedroom door, causing both Natsuki and Shizuru to jump up in shocked surprise.

"Girls...?" Natsuki said hesitantly as she watched Shizuki bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet, with Hikari standing beside her sister with her little arms behind her back. Now that Natsuki was a bit more awake she saw that Shizuki also had her arms hidden behind her back.

"Hello our sweet darlings. Is there something you both wanted to tell us this morning?" Shizuru asked, as she looked lovingly at her two children.

Shizuki grinned brightly and nodded, then turned slightly to Hikari and said, "let's do it!"

Natsuki and Shizuru were then both utterly charmed by their children, as both Hikari and Shizuki began to sing to their parents.

"Happy Mamas Day to you! 'Appy Mommas Day to yoooou. Happy Mamas Day, our sweet Mommys. Happah Mamas Day to you!" Shizuki cried out the last line at the top of her lungs, as Hikari valiantly tried to keep up with her big sister's singing, while waving the rose she brought from behind her back in the air before her.

Natsuki immediately reached down, gathered her two children into her arms and brought them to the middle of the bed, where she and Shizuru proceeded to huggle and kiss their darling children all over.

Hikari and Shizuki giggled and laughed happily as they hugged and kissed their parents back. Shizuru made sure to place the two now-slightly-smushed roses onto the bedside table. She would put them into a vase with water later, and proudly display them on the living room table.

For now the small family spent the rest of the morning playing, laughing, and enjoying each others company.

It was a very good Mother's Day for all.

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**AN:** Just a short piece dedicated to Shizuru and Natsuki on this Mother's Day~ =3

And a **Happy Mother's Day** to all of you out there today who are Mothers as well ^_^


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